Women’s Walk in the Wood’s Hike Selection
How to Proceed: Hike Options (You will be asked to indicate your first, second, and third choice while registering. Hikes will be assigned, based on your preferences, on a first come, first served basis.
Barrett’s Rim Trail
Length of Trail: 2.5 Miles
Difficulty: Moderate
The trail follows the Rocky Fork Creek along the base of a vertical rock wall. This trail is known for offering beautiful views of the creek with a diverse range of native plants. It travels through an open meadow full of sun loving native plants and into the rich forest trail with mesic outcrops of limestone and calcium-rich rock hosting unique assemblages of plants, including wild columbine and walking fern. The trail includes descents and ascents to reach the creek.
God’s Country Trail
Length of Trail: 2 Miles
Difficulty: Easy
An easy loop takes visitors into a bowl of open meadowlands offering views of migrating and local birds, encircled by hillsides and bordered by the Rocky Fork Creek. This trail is exceptionally rich in wildlife, including frequently seen bald eagles and diverse flocks of waterfowl. A bird blind provides outstanding wildlife observation opportunities. We will include the Eagles Aerie loop to make it a mixed field and woods hike for those interested in taking a bit longer hike that increases the difficulty level through the woods to a moderate level and adds .5 miles and approximately ½ hour to the hike time. The hike group may split at this point offering the option to remain on the easy loop trail with one of the naturalists or take the Eagles Aerie trail with the other naturalists leading the hike.
Harmony Trail at Paint Creek State Park
Length of Trail: 1.25 Miles
Difficulty: Easy
This is an easy loop that runs alongside Paint Creek, which is minutes away from the Appalachian Forest Museum. The trail is a wide, even, and well-maintained dirt path which follows the creek for the first half and then passes scenic rock ledges for the second. It is a peaceful trail with a lot to look at along the way!
Kamelands
Length of Trail: 2 Miles
Difficulty: Moderate
This is a varied trail that leads through rolling meadows to the wooded corridor bordering the high bluffs of Rocky Fork Creek, directly across the gorge from the Forest Museum. This trail boasts immense ancient oaks, interesting rock formations, and an optional spur trail down to the canyon floor which can be taken upon consensus of the group.
Miller State Nature Preserve
Length of Trail: 2.5 Miles
Difficulty: Moderate
Miller State Nature Preserve is adjacent to the Highlands Nature Sanctuary and is the oldest preserve on the Rocky Fork Gorge. Trails are wide and level with lots of steps and bridges. Only a few short ascents and descents. The preserve has an extremely rich and compelling display of wildflowers and beautiful mature Oak trees. Several sparkling clean creeks sculpted out beautiful limestone rock formations, including a handsome stone arch.